Investigating the Causes of a Rapid Gravity Decrease at the Luzhou Observatory

High-precision repeated absolute gravity observations conducted at the Luzhou observatory provide valuable insights into the processes of mass redistribution in the station's vicinity. In this study, we analyze four campaigns absolute measurements from two absolute gravimeters, FG5X-255 and FG5X-259, observed at the Luzhou gravity observatory and find a decrease in the gravity value of (− 93.3 ± 3.1) × 10 –8 m·s −2 from October 2020 to July 2022. By subtracting the contributions of vertical deformation, hydrological change, earthquake, and offset between instruments from the observation results, we derive a residual gravity change of (− 92.7 ± 4.1) × 10 –8 m·s −2 . Further analysis of field site photos and satellite images reveals that excavation related to the construction of a building near the Luzhou station is responsible for the observed gravity decrease. We use the load theory to calculate the gravity change at the Luzhou station due to the mass removal in the construction area and find that this factor could produce a gravity decrease consistent with the magnitude of the residual gravity change. Our results demonstrate that localized sources of mass redistribution, such as excavation at construction sites, can cause gravity variations exceeding 90 × 10 –8 m·s −2 nearby. Overall, our study highlights the importance of considering local mass redistribution when interpreting gravity variations.